


A Father's Work Is Never Done

by BettyHT



Category: Bonanza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-16
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-08-03 06:54:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 9,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16321292
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BettyHT/pseuds/BettyHT
Summary: Seven short stories about a father’s worries about his sons from what happens in school to learning to use a pistol or how to handle an embarrassing moment or even if the family can have a pet to misadventures and then disputes and letter writing when they are adults.--School Days--A Puma, A Bear, and A Dog--The Secret Glade--A Sharp Draw--The Lily Pad Misadventure--Discomfort Zones--Birthday Letters





	A Father's Work Is Never Done

******Chapter 1 School Days

All day, Ben worried. He remembered the first day of school for Adam and the first for Hoss. Neither of them had enjoyed their first day of school. He hoped that Little Joe would have a good first day and break the trend however unlikely that was.

Ben had actually expected his bright oldest son to revel in the chance to go to school, but it hadn't worked out that way.

"Pa, I won't say it. I won't ever use those words. So I can't tell you what those boys said. You can tan me and give me as many punishments as you want, but if anyone insults Hop Sing like that again, I won't listen to it."

Adam had stood as defiant as an eight-year-old boy could stand trembling with anger and fear when Ben picked him up from school but not before Ben had to withstand a tongue lashing from Adam's teacher.

"That boy of yours has no fear. He attacked three boys, and then refused to tell me what they said that made him so angry. You better teach him some proper behavior or he will not be allowed to continue in this school. Only civilized children are allowed here."

Oh Ben remembered that day so well. Tanning, lectures, extra chores, and banishment to his bedroom, and Adam finally accepted that he should not fight at school. Oh there were more fights until Adam didn't fight any more at school, but there were plenty of fights off school grounds until he got control of that temper of his, and the other students learned a healthy respect for his willingness to defend the downtrodden. Ben had tired of talking to the teacher and parents long before that happened.

Then a few years later, it was Hoss' turn for a first day at school. Adam gave Hoss a ride, and later brought home a little boy with a downcast, tear-streaked face riding in front of him. Adam was as sour faced as Hoss was sad. Sweet, mild mannered Hoss had been picked on unmercifully that first day for his size and the mistaken belief that he was stupid. Twelve-year-old Adam felt helpless to do anything about it because the children doing the hazing were only six years old themselves. It was another difficult transition for Hoss until he was accepted and liked by the other students for the wonderful traits he had including a natural ability to understand the world around him and appreciate it. His knowledge of the world of nature and his skill with animals had earned him respect as time went on.

Now today, Adam was gone to college and had left that school several years earlier leaving Hoss as the only Cartwright enrolled. Hoss had been waiting for the chance to have his little brother in school with him. The two had talked for days about all the fun they would have being able to be in school together. Hoss had taken on the older brother role and given Joe a ride to school. However, when Ben heard Hoss ride in, Joe wasn't with him.

"Where's your little brother? It was your job to watch out for him."

"He's coming. He wanted to walk the last bit so I dropped him off by the first fence. He'll be here in a few minutes. Ahh, Pa, please let him explain everything before you get mad."

"Explain what?"

"Well, he'll have to tell you. It says so in the note."

"A note from the teacher? Already?"

Shaking his head, Hoss walked his horse into the stable and began his chores. He heard his father greet Little Joe and worried about what would come next. There was a bit of silence that Hoss assumed meant that their Pa was reading the note. Then he heard the first growl.

"Pa, I just brought some stuff to school that I thought would make the day go better."

"It says you released a frog into the classroom!"

"Pa, that was an accident. I had him in my lunch bag, but he was jumping around in there so much, he gottest out."

"The note says you hit the teacher in the face!"

"Pa, that was another accident. She was gonna smash Froggy with a broom. Pa, she coulda killed him. I had to get her attention, but when I was gonna tap her on the shoulder, she spunned around so fast, I tapped her in the face."

"She says you screamed at her and spit in her face!"

"Pa, she scared me. When I tapped her in the face, she raised her arms and yelled so loud it hurt my ears. I was so scared I screamed but not at her. I guess some spit coulda come out with it. She's really scary, Pa."

"She says you exposed your privates to her and relieved yourself on her shoes!"

"Pa, she made me sit in the corner, and I really had to go bad. She wouldn't let me talk even to tell her I had to go. At lunch I ran out there to go, but there was a really long line for the necessary, so I walked behind it to go in the bushes like we do here. She came up behind me and tapped me on the shoulder when I was going, and I spunned around but I wasn't done yet and some spilt on her shoes. Pa, it ain't polite to tap somebody on the shoulder when they're going. Oh yeah, Pa, she yelled some of those really naughty words at me then. You know those words that Adam used when I dropped the axe on his foot. Maybe you oughta have a talk with her about her words cause you said you'd wash my mouth with soap ifn I ever said those words."

"Well, there's nothing about the afternoon. Did it go better at least for the last couple of hours?"

"Yeah, Pa, you know I told her that my brother Adam wanted to know all about my first day of school, and you was gonna help me write him a letter and tell him everything. She got a funny look on her face then and never said another word to me all day even when I dropped the box of chalk and pieces flew all over the room, or even when I opened the window and those bees flew in the room. Hey, Pa, did you know that if there are bees in the school, we get out early?"

"Why did you open the window to let bees in?"

"Oh, Pa, I didn't know those bees would come in. I mean why would they want to come inta the school? There ain't no flowers and no honey in there. I just knew it was hot so I opened the window."

Ben rubbed his forehead and told Joe to go do his chores. Walking to the house, Ben felt the pain in his neck and in his forehead. He suspected it would go away in about ten years when Joe finished school.

******Chapter 2 A Puma, a Bear, and a Dog

Joe wanted a dog so bad. A thirteen-year-old boy ought to have a dog to run with through the meadows. A dog could sleep at the foot of his bed. A dog could warn of intruders in the house. A dog could help track any lost person or animal. Joe had heard all the arguments Adam had made for a dog years ago. Then Hoss had repeated them to no avail many years after that. Ben Cartwright said a ranch was no place for a dog, and that's that. If you asked for a pet, he always suggested one more cat. And he put a limit on it too: he said one pet was allowed and that was it. Hoss didn't like that rule either.

Joe was commiserating with Hoss as they did chores. Joe very much wanted a dog. Hoss kinda wanted him to get a dog too. But they both knew their Pa was absolutely opposed to having a dog on the ranch. As Adam sauntered in to do his share, Joe shut up quickly. He didn't want Adam to argue with him about a dog. He felt bad enough that he wasn't going to get one even though that is all he wanted for his birthday.

"Now you know I worry whenever you stop talking when I get near you. Do I have to worry that you're in trouble already or are you just planning it?"

"Aww, Adam, it ain't nothing like that. Joe wants a dog. You know what Pa told us when each of us asked. He's just feeling bad about it."

Adam had been thinking about this for years. He liked to think about things, and when it was something he failed to do especially if that something hurt his brothers too, well then he thought even more about it. He had been waiting for just such an opportunity as this. He started to formulate a plan. Hoss saw the look in his eyes.

"Oh boy, Joe. Adam's thinking on a plan. I can see it in his eyes. He ain't talking either, and if he's awake, that's another good sign that he's a thinking."

"Hey, Adam, what are you thinking? Huh? Come on Adam, you can tell us. You know we can keep a secret."

"Joe, you can keep a secret about as well as a sieve holds water. Now all you two have to do is cooperate. When Pa asks for help going to pick up that load of barbed wire that should be in town soon, both of you need to volunteer and insist on coming along."

"That's it?"

"I'll tell you the rest when you need to know and not sooner. Now if you will finish up my chores, I have a few errands to run in town."

Two days later, Ben made the aforementioned request and was gratified that all three sons volunteered to help. In fact, they insisted that all three of them should help. It was a rarity that all three were so cooperative, and Ben just reveled in the moment. They loaded up the barbed wire in town, and then all three sons had to run short errands they said. Within fifteen minutes, they were all back. Adam had a pretty saloon girl on his arm and she was leading a young puma on a leash with a studded collar around its neck.

"Hey Pa, you always said we could have a cat as a pet. I found one I want. And Sally will come along to take care of it. I'm sure we can find somewhere in the house for her to stay."

"Adam, that animal is dangerous."

"Well, so am I, and I stay on the Ponderosa. You're not going back on your word that you gave me years ago, that I could have a cat, are you?"

About then Hoss showed up with a St. Bernard pup that was already larger than most full-grown dogs.

"Hey, Pa, I found a dog that would be good on the ranch. He could track strays. He's warm and he hardly ever barks. Jason over to the livery says he's afraid of cows and horses so he wouldn't scare any of the stock or ever chase them. How about it Pa, you said one pet and this here is a good one."

"Hoss, that animal would eat more than all four of us combined. And for what happens later, I don't want that all around the house."

"But Pa, you said we could have one pet."

Ben watched as Sally unbuttoned one of Adam's shirt buttons and twirled her finger in his chest hair. He saw how Hoss was already getting attached to that huge puppy. Ben struggled to come up with a way out of this dilemma now that his sons had mentioned his promise in front of all of these people. As he worried about what to say, Joe walked up with an adorable collie puppy.

"Hey, Pa, Mr. Matthews said to tell you that he can probably help you with those loans you need tomorrow morning. He said he thinks he has found the money to help you out. He just has to get rid of all the puppies in the litter his daughter's collie had so he can finish working on a deal. He was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking one of these pups off his hands."

Ben thought for only a minute.

"Adam, Hoss, I'm sorry but only one pet, and we have to do this favor for Mr. Matthews. He is an old and trusted friend of the family. So, Joseph, why don't you hop up in the wagon with our pet, and we'll head for home."

Ben got in the wagon quickly with Joe and snapped the reins to get the wagon headed for home before Adam or Hoss could object. Adam kissed Sally on the cheek and handed her a gold coin thanking her for playing her role just perfectly. He was sure that Sally's presence had rattled his father's concentration. Jason walked over to claim his prized pet. Hoss thanked him and promised him a few cats for the stable with the next litter at the Ponderosa. Cats were valuable in the west at keeping the rodent population down and away from supplies like the grain in the stable. Hoss and Adam mounted up, and Hoss gave a salute and a grin to Adam. Then they began the ride home to play with their new dog.

******Chapter 3 The Secret Glade

As the stage pulled into Virginia City, Adam was nervous. He had left when he had just reached age eighteen. He was returning now as a man of twenty-one having completed his courses of study in college. He had not seen his family for those three years for travel across the country was much too difficult. He could have gone to school in California, but he wanted to see his mother's birthplace as well as her grave, and get to know his grandfather who had prayed that Adam would choose Boston as the city where he would attend college. He had done all of that, and sadly his grandfather had passed only a few months earlier. Adam had taken care of his grandfather's estate and saw to the bequests he had made. But then it was time to head home. He saw his father in the small crowd of people waiting for the stage. He was riding outside as the stage was full. The fare was lower because he had agreed to that, and Adam was frugal. He also enjoyed the fresh air blowing in his face instead of the stale sweat and other odors that were inevitable inside the coach. When the stage came to a halt, he swung down from the top taking his bag with him. None of what he had shipped to the Ponderosa had arrived yet for that ship was going around the horn. Adam had traveled to New Orleans and then Panama before crossing and getting passage on a ship up the Pacific Coast to San Francisco.

Ben pulled Adam into a hug. He knew it might make him a bit uncomfortable but it had been four years. "Adam, my son, you're so grown up. I would know it was you though no matter what. Welcome home, son, welcome home."

Disengaging from the hug but still grasping his father's hand in his hand and holding his arm with his other hand, Adam was reluctant to let go. Finally he looked at his two brothers standing behind his father. Hoss was now taller than Adam and quite a bit wider as well, but the smile was the same as he remembered. He reached for Hoss and the two brothers hugged. When Adam broke the hug, he saw the nine-yer-old brother who had been a child when he left. Now he looked like mischief personified and looked a great deal like his mother but even smaller in features and build. Little Joe looked at Adam with concern. He had remembered him as being much taller. He also thought that he should look a lot more powerful than he did.

"Did you get shorter and skinnier because you went to Boston?"

"No, not at all. In fact, I weigh a bit more now than when I left, or at least my shirts and trousers tell me that. However you are about twice as big as I remember, so perhaps it wasn't so much me shrinking as you getting bigger. Not as much as Hoss though. I didn't realize I would have to look up at my younger brother who is now my big brother."

Soon after, Adam was riding in the buckboard with his family and headed back to the Ponderosa. As they traveled, Ben and Hoss talked of the changes they had made since Adam had left. At fifteen, Hoss had finished his schooling and was working full time on the ranch. Little Joe remained quiet and observed the brother he could hardly remember and this one hardly resembled the memories he did have.

The joy of returning to his home and family quickly waned for Adam. His father didn't seem interested in any of the ideas Adam had developed in the years he had been gone. Hoss didn't like having his position as his father's right hand man being usurped by a brother who had been gone for more than three years. Little Joe resented being told to do anything by a brother he hardly knew. By the end of the first week at home, Adam needed some time away from his family. He told his father he was going for a ride.

"A lot of trees got knocked down in your secret glade."

"What?" Shocked, Adam wondered how much his father knew. He had a quiet spot for reflection. Shielded on three sides by tall trees and rocky outcroppings, there was soft grass there and a small pond. He often sat in the sun there thinking about things to get his thoughts in order or trying to calm himself and put events into perspective. He had thought it was his secret.

"I've known about it since you were twelve and upset that I brought Marie home. You rode off to be alone, and I respected that. However you were twelve years old, and I wasn't about to let my twelve-year old son out there all alone. I watched from a distance to make sure you were safe. It got a bit more uncomfortable when you were older and would stay there all night. I envied you those campfires then, but I couldn't let you know I was there nor could I break that habit of watching out for you."

"What about the trees?"

"A big storm toppled some of them a couple of years ago. I've worked to clear them away. Used them for firewood. It won't look quite the same though."

"Nothing ever stays the same, Pa."

"I know that. I understand."

Hoss walked out then and asked where Adam was going.

"Hoss, how would you like to spend a night out under the stars in a quiet peaceful little spot I know?"

"Hot diggity, just wait til I get my stuff."

Little Joe came out to see why Hoss was so excited. He wanted to go too.

"Why not? Go get your stuff too while I ask Hop Sing for more food."

"Adam, while you're gone, I'll be thinking about some of those suggestions you made that I was too hasty in rejecting."

"Thank you."

"Thank you for taking your brothers with you."

Adam grinned. He and his father had reconnected. Camping out and just being brothers would likely help the three to reconnect as well. For the first time since arriving home, he felt at home.

******Chapter 4 Sharp Draw

Ben stood by his desk staring intently out the window. There was nothing to see that was a problem, but his heart was racing at the sight nevertheless. His youngest son, Joseph, was being taught how to draw by his eldest son, Adam, who was showing Joe how to draw and slide his finger onto the trigger as he brought the gun up. Joe had wanted to put his finger on the trigger as he first gripped the pistol, but he had been told that was a great way to shoot yourself in the foot or leg. Instead he needed to practice this seamless way Adam drew and had his finger firmly on the trigger as he leveled his pistol at his target.

That was also part of the lesson: how to pull fast enough to beat your opponent but be able to stop the momentum when the gun was level. Adam told Joe he was learning how to be a 'smart draw' not a 'fast draw'. Joe was practicing with an unloaded pistol because of all the risks in learning to draw and kept trying to draw faster and faster. Adam told him each time that a smart draw that left you in a position to make an accurate shot was better than a faster draw that might lead to a wild shot. In a contest where a fraction of a second could mean the difference between lying bloody in the dirt or standing over your fallen opponent, Adam's instructions could be crucial.

Yet, Joe was only fifteen years old and his father hated the idea that he might have to face such a challenge so soon. But just the day before, Adam and Joe had been accosted by outlaws. Adam had handed over the money rather than put his unarmed little brother at risk. Ben had praised Adam's decision when he apologized for losing the money. But then Adam had said that at fifteen, he had already shot a man, and that at fifteen, Hoss had worn a pistol rig anytime he left the house. Both Adam and Hoss had openly wondered if their father in an effort to protect his baby son was actually endangering him. Ben had acquiesced and the result was what he was watching.

Soon, Ben knew they would take Joe behind the barn and give him ammunition so he could draw down on a line of bottles or cans on a fence rail. Ben had to wonder how long it would be before Joe was tested by a man with a gun. He remembered how Adam had been changed with that first test of him as a man. He had gotten colder, harder to read, and even more serious. He had been remorseful over taking a life, but also wanted to be sure next time that he would be better. Ben heard him tell Joe to keep his shoulders down to keep his arm and back muscles relaxed and loose so that they could draw rapidly. He told him to control his breathing so it wouldn't throw off his aim when he pulled the trigger. He told him to keep the gun level, keep his eyes wide open to see all around him, and to listen behind him for any unusual sounds. It was too much for the teenager to learn in one day, but Ben knew Adam would keep pushing until Joe could handle himself well. He would do it and accept Joe's complaints and excuses because he would do anything to help keep his brothers safe.

Standing at Adam's side, Hoss reinforced everything Adam said in the lesson. Hoss had just turned twenty-one and had yet to shoot a man, but Ben knew that in this dangerous land, that could change. He wondered how such an act would affect his gentle, kind-hearted middle son.

So Ben stood at the window and watched his youngest son taking a big step toward becoming a man. Occasionally he noted how Adam or Hoss would look back at the window nodding almost imperceptibly to acknowledge his concern and reassure him that he had made the right decision. He knew he had, but that did not lessen the pain in his heart that his sons had to do this to be safe. Innocence had to be sacrificed for safety in this hard and beautiful land.

******Chapter 5 The Lily Pad Misadventure

Grabbing his son's arm as he walked, Ben was upset that Joe had gone to see Mr. Fenster without him. Ben had ridden to town in a hurry when he realized that evening that all of them were gone. They were supposed to be outside talking, or at least that was what they said they were going to be doing. They neglected to mention that the talking would be on the way to town as they tried to defuse a situation they had created. He had been angry, and then worried, as he saddled up Buck and then took the long ride into town. Once there, he had to go to the Sheriff's office to get Joe released from jail. Hoss and Adam had been sitting inside waiting. He had asked why one of them had not come home to get him, and Adam had said that when they didn't return, they knew that would get him to town. In fact, he had of course been on the way when all the trouble had started. When he asked what happened, Roy pointed at Joe and said he had the story, so Joe explained that he had gone to see Mr. Fenster and had been unarmed.

"Joseph, that wasn't a very smart thing to do going to see him unarmed."

"Pa, I had Adam and Hoss there to back me up. They had their guns, and you know how good they are with them. I wasn't worried about that part."

"But there was still a big risk in what you did."

"Pa, Marlene's father said he'd shoot me if he ever saw me again. I figured if I showed up without my pistol though, he wouldn't just shoot me down, and maybe I'd get a chance to explain. I never meant to hurt his daughter."

"Why didn't you ask me to come with you? I had nothing to do with it, and he might have been willing to let me talk about why my youngest son was buck naked and jumped out of the lake scaring his daughter and her friend."

"Well it kinda was partly Adam's fault and Hoss too, so they felt like they oughta help."

"Yes, I know what part they played in this." Both of his older sons were favored with one of Ben's ominous frowns then.

"Well, you see, Pa, then, it all makes sense."

"Yes, it does, Joe, but not the part about you tackling him. Roy said you tackled Mr. Fenster and disarmed him."

"Well, you see, Pa, he saw these two men lurking in the bushes he said, and he was gonna fire that shotgun in there. Now I couldn't tell that to Adam and Hoss because they might have shot him if he was shooting at them. So I tackled him."

"Did you get to explain at least before Roy got there?"

"Yeah, Pa, I did. He even had a little chuckle about the whole story until I got to the part where I jumped up out of the water and scared his daughter. I swear, Pa, I thought it was Adam bringing my clothes back. I had no idea his daughter was there with a friend to try to catch some fish. I mean we were on the Ponderosa. They were trespassing."

"So you explained why you were completely naked when you jumped up out of the lily pads and frightened his daughter?"

"Yeah, I did. I told him my brothers stole my clothes when I was taking a swim. I never meant for her to fall like that, and it was just bad luck that those rocks were right there. It isn't all that awful though. I mean the doc said she'll be out of that cast in a month so her broken arm really wasn't too bad."

"Now, I understand all of that, but why were you hiding under the lily pads in the first place?"

"Well, you see, it's like this. Hoss and Adam stole my clothes, and that was really mean. I was gonna hide under them lily pads so they wouldn't see me anywhere. Hey, Pa, I used a hollow reed just like you taught me to do years ago."

"Yes, Joseph, now what about the rest of the story?" Ben had a tendency to be impatient when Joe was telling a story because he seemed to have all this commentary that had nothing to do with the immediate event.

"Well, I thought Adam and Hoss would get really worried and think maybe that I had drowned or something and then they would feel really bad about me drowning and such because they stole my clothes, and then I was gonna jump up and scare them too. It only seemed fair after what they did to me. But Pa, from underwater, it's real hard to see who's walking up to the shore. I had no idea it was two girls, honest!"

"Joseph, did her father accepted your explanation?"

"Yes, he did, Pa, but when his daughter asked if I would take her to the lake for a picnic sometime, he got all mad again. That's when Roy took me to the jail, and said he would only release me to you. He said I was a threat to the public safety, and you had to take me home."

"And that young man is exactly where you're going. There are a lot of chores to keep all of you busy so there won't be a repeat any time soon of this kind of foolishness." Three sets of shoulders dropped with that last comment, but there wasn't much they could do about it. Ben's tone of voice left no room for argument. Adam and Hoss were sure that they were not going to be treated like boys and ordered around like Joe, or at least they hoped that wouldn't happen. Hoss especially hoped it wouldn't happen because when their Pa tried to do that with Adam, there was usually quite an argument and things got very tense around the place for days sometimes. Mealtimes were especially stressful when that happened, and that bothered Hoss as much as anything because it was difficult to eat a decent meal with all that anger in the air. Ben said no more so Hoss relaxed. At least all three of them had a great story to tell the next time they got together with their friends.

******Chapter 6 Discomfort Zones

"Ow, ow, ow." As Adam tried to sit up in the bed, the muscles in his back spasmed again objecting to nearly a week of twelve-hour days. He wanted more than anything to slip into a warm bath to let the warm water soak away his soreness. That's what he wanted, but his mistake had been lying down in this soft bed first. As he lay there, he could picture the scene when he had last seen his father. Standing on the porch, fists on hips and eyebrows arched with the scowl firmly in place, Ben Cartwright had slowly surveyed his three sons.

"So, all of you think the others have it easier than you. Maybe, you ought to switch jobs and see how easy your brother has it. Hoss, you're going to Fort Carson instead of Joe. You need to convince the Army to give us three more weeks to send the horses we contracted to send. We don't have enough time to green-break the number they wanted. If they won't give more time, then reduce the number we'll sell. Joe, you're going to Sacramento in Adam's place. You'll be there for the railroad meetings that set all the specifications, prices, and penalties that they have for the next bid process. Pack your best suit and get the best set you can for us to make the next bid for a contract." Looking at Adam, Ben was almost smirking. "You get to go with Hoss' friend Rafe and cut a new logging road from our property to the river over the right-of-way you negotiated so that we could do more logging. Then ride a raft downriver to make sure the way is clear for us to send logs." Before stomping back into the house, Ben had set a deadline. "I expect to see you back here in a week to get ready for the cattle drive."

So after hours of riding that first day, Adam had worked with Rafe downing trees with a large crosscut saw as they cut trees to make a corridor large enough for the teamsters to drive wagons from the Ponderosa to the river. They were working on land for which he had recently acquired a right-of-way so that the Ponderosa could log in more remote areas of the ranch. Once the crude road was cut, he had thought the ride downriver would let him recover, but instead he and Rafe muscled the raft fighting the current that wanted to push them into rocks or shallow areas. He lay in bed as his muscles protested, his stomach growled, and his head hurt. Then, he remembered flipping off the raft as they coasted over a rapids until the raft collided with a rock that turned the raft around in circles. He had tumbled into the rough water slamming into rocks or scraping by them until Rafe was able to snag him with a logging hook and pull him back to the raft. To add to his indignity, once they arrived in town, Rafe had climbed aboard a wagon to ride with the loggers back to the newly opened cutting. He had given Adam a parting shot.

"You did all right, but next time, send Hoss."

As Adam struggled to get off the bed and go to the washroom in the hotel, he was thinking that he would be more than happy to do that if he could ever get out of that bed. To meet the deadline, he had to be home the next day, and he knew his father would be upset if he was late. He hoped his brothers had done better so that his father would be pleased with those efforts and less likely to berate his oldest son. Well before dawn the next day, he saddled a horse he purchased, mounted up stiffly, and rode out of town as fast as he could go without causing pain to shoot up and down his legs and into his lower back. He guessed that if all went well and if he didn't stop for meals, he could be home in about fourteen hours.

Many miles away, Hoss would have been happy to do bring good news home with him, but arguing with Army officers was like trying to convince cougars that rabbits were their friends. They had an idea and weren't about to change it.

"Mr. Cartwright, you promised fifty horses by the fifteenth. Now you want more time or for us to take fewer horses. That is unacceptable."

"It may not be acceptable, but it's what's gonna happen. We ain't got the horses green broke yet so ifn ya want em by the fifteenth, it's take half of what you ordered, or give us the extra time, and we'll have all fifty green-broke for ya." This constant battling back and forth gave Hoss a headache, sitting in a ladder back chair for hours at a time made his back hurt, and the food was worse than trail drive beans and bacon. Hoss longed for one of Hop Sing's home-cooked meals and could almost taste it by thinking about it. He had no idea how his Pa and Adam would go to these meetings and come back with a smile. Adam had told him it was like playing poker, watching for tells, letting them win a little, and bluffing when you had to until you pulled in the pot. Hoss couldn't see how anything this frustrating could be compared to a game, but his brother Adam was always thinking strange things. Then Hoss was harshly brought back to reality by the major again.

"Are you listening to me? Your terms are unacceptable. You need to offer us a reasonable alternative."

It had gone on and on like that until Hoss wore them down by sheer persistence. With a lot of grumbling, he got the new contract with the additional three weeks, but there were also some stiff penalties included if they missed the new deadline. They would have to put off the preparations for the cattle drive, and his father would be very unhappy with that. Aw heck, Hoss was thinking he'd likely be furious. He hated it when his father was angry with him. All he wanted to do was do a good job and see his father smile. This was not going to be one of those times. After two days of riding and three days of endless frustration, he packed his saddlebags early in the sixth morning and headed home hoping his brothers had better news so his father wouldn't be in a foul mood when Hoss had to deliver his results by the end of the next day.

On the seventh day, Hoss and Joe were still in the stable taking care of their horses when Adam rode in with a lathered mount. He dismounted and nearly fell. Hoss was dismayed at the condition of the horse as well as the weakness of his brother.

"Adam, you been drinking? I never seen you push a horse this hard or nearly fall on your backside when you had all your senses."

"I didn't want Pa to be mad because I was late. It's bad enough that I got home last. I didn't want to be late too. I've got about enough energy to walk to the house and flop in a chair."

"You got the road cut, didn't you?"

"Well, the trees are cut clear through to our land, but there will have to be some additional work so that any of the loaded wagons don't get stumped."

"Why you looking like you got in a fight with a grizzly and lost?"

"After four days of sawing from dawn to dusk to make the cut, we took a raft down the river. I fell off and smacked up against about half the rocks between here and there before Rafe snagged me and hauled me back up on the raft. At least I got the minimum done that Pa ordered. By the way, Rafe wants you next time we have a project like that."

"He said that?"

"He said I did all right but that next time we had to send you."

"You just saying that cause ya don't want to have to cut with Rafe again?"

"No, it's the truth. He thinks you do better work than I do."

Proud that Rafe had said that, Hoss still had to tell his tale of woe to the others especially noting that they had three more weeks to complete the contract but serious penalties for being late and/or short on delivery. "Those Army men are just not reasonable."

Joe had only one question. "Did you buy a bottle and set it on the table when you started negotiating?"

"Course not, Joe. Drinking is for after you're done with your work."

"Well, that's what they were waiting for. One bottle on the table, a couple of glasses, and an hour later, you could have told them what the contract was going to say."

"Joe, why didn't you tell me that before I went to the fort?"

"We were supposed to be finding out what the other brothers did. I figured you would use your extra years of experience and your wisdom of being older to do better than me, not worse."

"It ain't funny, Joe, and you don't have to act uppity with me. I would have told you if there was a trick you needed to know."

"Hoss, I wish you would have told me I needed two more men to get that road cut in less than a week."

"I really am sorry, Adam. I guess I thought you would know that."

Joe was grinning by the time his brothers finished their sad tales and commentary. "It couldn't have gone better for me. Adam, I don't know why you always complain after these trips, and I didn't need any special tips from you to get it done either. I had a great time in Sacramento. I told those railroad men that there was no reason to sit in some stuffy old offices and talk. They liked my idea. We went to some fine establishments, we had drinks, and we had some entertainment. We talked some too of course, and yesterday morning, they gave me sheets of all those things Pa wanted. I got them all here in this envelope."

Adam had to ask. "You didn't ask them to lower the penalties, raise the prices they pay to us, and set more reasonable deadlines and specifications?"

"No, they said they'd do the best they could for us because we've been such great suppliers in the past. I trust them, Adam, and they trust me. They're really great guys. For three days, I'd buy the first round, and they would always buy every round after that no matter how late it got."

Joe's naiveté in dealing with cutthroat railroad barons both shocked and amused Adam and Hoss. They wanted to say something about how difficult he had just made the bidding process for them, but the humor of the situation after all they had been through for the previous week overwhelmed their concerns. Adam started laughing first as Hoss tried but couldn't help but join in. Soon Adam was so weak with laughter that he had to rest his head on Hoss' shoulder. Hoss was sitting on a bale of hay, which was fortunate because he probably would have fallen to the ground otherwise as his stable rattling guffaws poured out. Once the two brothers got back some control, Hoss wrapped an arm around Adam's shoulders as they stood and then headed to the house. "Pa's gonna think we done great once he hears from Joe. This all worked out jim dandy for us."

"Hoss, we need to tell our stories first. If Joe talks first, Pa will blow and never even care how we did. How about if we do it by age with the oldest first?"

"That sounds real good to me, older brother, real good. You think Joe's gonna get that finger of doom pointed at him?"

"Oh, yeah."

"What's so funny, and why is Pa going to be mad? And why shouldn't I go first? Why's Pa going to blow? Why would he be pointing the finger at me? I did the best of all three of us, didn't I?"

From his study window, Ben watched as his sons trudged toward the house with Joe looking most worried of all. He was a bit upset and yet felt a certain satisfaction in knowing he had taught them all a valuable lesson even though Joe didn't know it yet. Crow was being served, and the master chef was proud of his work.

******Chapter 7 Birthday Letters

Every year on Adam's birthday, Ben Cartwright got a letter to read. It was always a personal letter not meant to be shared with the rest of the family or anyone else. Adam had started that tradition a couple of years after he had set out to see the world and find his own place in it. When he finally slowed down his travels and settled in one place for a time, he got a letter from Hoss that changed his perspective on how he was living his life and on the family he had left behind.

"Adam, I don't know how to say those fancy things like you do so I'll just say what I got to say straight out. Pa's been hurting something fierce since you been gone. He hides it pretty well most of the time, but you should see the look of pure relief on his face when one of your letters arrives. Now I know you been moving around a lot chasing that dream you got, and I ain't asking you to give it up. What I think you oughta do though is send Pa a letter a bit more often if you could. Now Joe and me really do get a kick outta your letters and the things ya done, but Pa seems to wonder more about what's going on in your head and in your heart. Ifn you could write to him sometime and tell him some of that stuff, well I know he'd be tickled pink and happier than that ole rooster in the hen house. More importantly it would lift a load of worry off his shoulders. I miss you a lot too, older brother, but I know you're doing what you think you gotta do. I don't begrudge you the chance at all. So you take care and I hope my letter don't bother you none. Love, Hoss."

From that point on, Adam put himself on a strict schedule. On the first Sunday of every month, he sat down wherever he was and wrote a detailed letter to his family about everything he had been doing, people he had met, and wonders that he had seen. Once a year, in the month before his birthday, he wrote a personal letter to each of his brothers. Hoss' envelope was always a bit thicker and heavier than Joe's because it contained a letter to their father. In that letter, Adam opened his heart and bared his soul. He asked Hoss to please give that letter to their father on the morning of Adam's birthday. Each year, Hoss was pleased with himself for having written that letter to Adam because Ben would have tears in his eyes but he would smile when he finished reading. Then he would share stories with Hoss and Joe about Adam as a young boy and as a young man.

Adam's birthday became a day to celebrate his life even if he wasn't there. Hop Sing would bake a cake and decorate it just like Adam would have liked it. The family would share that cake, and one of them would write to him telling him how delicious his cake was and how he ought to come home sometime and enjoy some of it.

It had all settled into a comfortable routine, but everything changed eight years after Adam had left. He had traveled to Europe, to South America, and to Australia. He had lived quite a while in Australia, but had returned to the United States late that winter to take a job in New York. He had written that he hoped to take a trip to Nevada for a visit raising all of their hopes that they would see him again soon. But then they received an unusually cryptic letter informing them that his plans had changed. He said he was returning to Australia to take care of some 'unfinished business'. His birthday came and went, and there were no letters. They waited and hoped that his travels and the distances involved had delayed the letters as they sometimes had in the past when two or even three letters would arrive at the same time or within days of each other. But by summer, it was clear that there would be no letter.

In some ways, this was worse than when Adam had written infrequently. Then they expected those gaps in correspondence. But they had grown used to receiving news of his life in a regular supply of letters. The absence was felt all the more keenly because of that. It was all the more shocking when they received a telegram from San Francisco in September.

"Need help. Lick. Adam Stoddard. Come quickly."

"What do you think that's all about? Do you think that's really Adam?"

"Hoss, of course it's Adam. Seems like he must be in trouble. I'm leaving as soon as I can pack." Ben headed up the stairs.

"Pa, we're coming with you. I'll get Joe from the breaking corrals. All we need to do is pack a bag. Our horses are already saddled. Won't take but a few minutes to saddle up Buck too."

So Ben and his two younger sons traveled as rapidly as they could to San Francisco. Ben suspected that he knew some of what had happened. The letter he had received the previous year on Adam's birthday had mentioned quite a bit about a young woman in Australia, but her father apparently did not approve of Adam as a suitor. Adam had told his father that he was in love like never before. However Ben had assumed the relationship had ended because Adam left Australia and went to New York. He had wondered how serious the relationship had been and how hurt Adam must have been when it ended, but Adam had not confided that to any of them. Ben had to wonder if the 'unfinished business' had something to do with that young lady. He had been told about her in confidence though and couldn't share his thoughts with Hoss and Joe. As soon as they arrived in San Francisco, they went directly to the Lick House and inquired at the desk for an Adam Stoddard. They were asked to identify themselves, and when they complied, they were shocked by what they were told.

"Ah, yes, Mr. and Mrs. Stoddard are expecting you. You have the suite next door to their suite. We'll have the steward show you the way while the bellhops are delivering your luggage."

"Dadgummit, Adam done got himself hogtied. He sure works fast when he's a mind to."

The steward waited for them to drop their coats and hats in their suite and then showed them to the room next to theirs. As he was about to knock, there was the unmistakable cry of a baby inside although it was quickly hushed. Ben stepped forward and knocked on the door which was opened a moment later by Adam. The three of them got their third shock in a very short time frame. Adam was pale, thin, and had a full beard.

"Come on in. It really is me. Hi, Pa."

Any further conversation was cut off as Ben enveloped his son in a hug. He didn't care at this point if Adam was uncomfortable with the display of affection. He needed to hug his son. Hoss hugged Adam next as Ben turned and tipped the steward who pulled the door closed as he left. Joe stepped forward to hug Adam after Hoss let him go.

"Take it easy, Joe. I think Pa and Hoss might have cracked some ribs."

Ben shed tears without shame. His family was reunited after eight years. It was when Joe released Adam that the three men noticed a dark haired young woman holding an infant.

"I'd like to introduce my wife, Carolyn, and our son, Aaron."

"Dadburnit, Adam, you better start telling us what happened."

"I met Carolyn in Australia. We spent a lot of time together, but when her father returned from a trip to China, he forbid me to see her again. I tried, but he said if I persisted, he would have me jailed and deported. Then he sent Carolyn to another one of his properties, and I had no idea where she was. I hired a detective to find her, but that apparently was the last straw for her father. He had the constables on me. They came to my room, and told me that I could go with them and book passage out of the country or go to jail and be deported. I had to leave, but first I left word with friends as to how I could be contacted. A few months later, a friend of hers wrote to me telling me she was carrying my child. I dropped everything, and I went back with an alias and a beard. With the help of my friends and hers, I found her and was able to get messages to her. As soon as I had a plan to get her away, we slipped away from her father's estate and got passage on a ship for home. Once her father realized she was gone, he knew what had likely happened and had all the ships being watched. The only way to escape was that I had to swim to the ship under cover of darkness and tow Carolyn behind me on a raft. Luckily the ship's captain had a soft spot in his heart for a couple in love. We were married by that captain as soon as we were at sea."

Ben watched Carolyn smile as Adam recounted the adventure. Apparently she was amused by Adam's ability to downplay the dangers he had faced and the efforts he had made.

"Sorry, but why do you look so awful? You're skinny enough to wear my shirts."

"Joe, I got pneumonia complicated by a relapse of malaria. The stress and the physical discomfort caused Carolyn to go into early labor and that was another stressful thing. We're fine now, but we need help to travel."

"Of course, son, but why the beard and Adam Stoddard?"

"If her father is searching for us, there is no record of an Adam Cartwright ever entering this port or staying here with his wife and child. No one would know me like this. Now how soon can we go home?"

Ben loved hearing those words, but he was concerned too. "Adam, you look like you need good food and rest first."

"Mr. Cartwright, he looks a sight better than when we arrived. The bloke looked more like a cadaver than a man. He does like the food here, but we've been spending a small fortune eating in our room here. Do you think there's a quiet little place we could all go to for dinner? It would give us time to get to know one another as well. I've heard so much about all of you, but I daresay you probably know as much about roos as you know about me."

Hoss couldn't believe all that he had heard. "Dadburnit, Adam, you coulda said something about all a this in your letters."

Looking at his father, Adam smiled. "I did. Just like you asked, I opened my heart and my soul to our father."

Then Hoss and Joe knew why their father had not looked nearly as surprised as they were. So they began with the questions.

"You gonna keep the beard? How long you had it?"

"Where did you get malaria? I didn't know it could come back once you had it."

"Weren't you afraid of sharks swimming out to that ship? You told us there were sharks in that harbor."

"You staying home this time?"

That last direct to the heart question from Joe made Adam look at Carolyn.

"Wherever you are is my home, love."

Adam smiled because he could answer then. "Yes, this time I'm staying. Now I won't have to write all those letters."

With that, Ben asked to hold his grandchild. Hoss and Joe crowded around him as he held the infant, and all three made cooing and babbling sounds for Aaron. Adam wrapped an arm around his wife and smiled. She looked up at him returning his smile.

"They're just like you said they were. We're home."


End file.
